Shifu Rafael Avella

Born in Barcelona, Catalonia, at the age of 9, moved with his family to the Island of Mallorca, Spain. As an adolescent, he was very passionate about swimming and football and was a competitive athlete for many years.

At the age of 20, he moved to the city of Johannesburg, South Africa, where he started his early martial arts training in kickboxing at a local gym. It was during this time that he met Shifu Keith Nel. They became very good friends and martial art training partners for the next 4 years. Shifu Keith Neil was the first to introduce him to the world of Wing Chun. This forged a lifelong friendship that continues to grow even to this day.

In 1992, Shifu Avella moved back to Spain where he met Chilean Master Jorge Hui-ci, founder of Ta-Chu-Chuan. For the next 5 years, he underwent rigorous physical training that paved the way to a mindset for combat.

In 1997, after Master Jorge Hui-Ci went back to his country, Shifu Avella was formally introduced to Wing Chun and Hung Gar Kuen by Shifu Toni Camps. In one of training sessions, Shifu Camps presented Shifu Avella to Shifu Santi Pascual, instructor of Wing Chun and president of Wong Shun Leung Spain Association. He officially joined in 1999 in order to dedicate his time and energy to learn Wing Chun and become an official instructor. After a decade of studying and practicing, Shifu Avella was granted the official certificate as Shifu within the standards of Wong Shun Leung Spain Association.

In 2009, while in search to procure a set of Wing Chun swords , he came across and eventually corresponded with Shifu Danny Xuan who at that time was based in Bangkok, Thailand. After months of online communication, they decided to meet in Casablanca, Morocco where Shifu Xuan was then a visiting instructor. What started as a weeklong training and exchange of ideas evolved into a lifelong journey of gradual transformation and discovering a new perspective of Wing Chun. Shortly after, Shifu Avella became part of the Xuan Wing Chun Clan. Despite the extensive information gained through online communication and self practice of the Xuan Wing Chun system, Shifu Avella knew that mastery can only be acquired through direct in-person interaction. Thus, he decided to accept a job offer from Shifu Xuan to assist him in his Wing Chun project in Thailand.

Shifu Avella moved to Bangkok in 2011. That year, under Shifu Xuan supervision , Shifu Avella used all his previous experience in Wing Chun to rapidly acquire a deeper understanding of the application of biomechanics in Wing Chun and its role in improving efficiency of movements, fundamental to this martial art. Gaining an in- depth understanding of the theoretical and practical application within the new Wing Chun system has been highly transformative for Shifu Avella. He subsequently received his Master Certificate in Xuan Wing Chun.

Back in Barcelona in 2012, Shifu Avella felt the need to curate the knowledge he has learned in the last 35 years, streamlining it down to only what is essential, in order to create an organized method of teaching Wing Chun. His goal is to be able to transfer decades of experience to his students in a clear, concise and rapid manner. In this way, a student can quickly progress with new information and tailored training even in months, with commitment and dedication.
Shifu Avella has taught several students from Spain, Peru, Germany, Argentina, Thailand, England, Romania, Italy, Poland and United States. He emphasizes to his students that Wing Chun, when learned the proper way, is more than just a fighting method. It is health and discipline. Growth and self awareness. Brotherhood. A way of life.

In 2014, he moved to USA and is now based in Albuquerque New Mexico,
teaching Wing Chun in the areas of Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe & Taos.
He has opened Avella Wing Chun to continue pursuing his passion for Wing Chun.